Best Pizza in NYC: 15 Slices and Pies Worth the Trip

New York pizza is an argument that never settles, and that's the fun of it. This guide covers 15 slices and pies across all five boroughs — thin-crust coal-oven classics, Sicilian squares, a Neapolitan destination with a line out the door, and a few spots most visitors never make it out to. It's built for grazing over a weekend, not finishing in one sitting.

Expect $4-$7 for a classic cheese slice, $25-$45 for a whole pie at a sit-down coal-oven or Neapolitan spot, and cash-only policies at several of the older, most traditional places — bring some with you.

How to use this guide

• Carry cash; several of the classic coal-oven spots and old-school slice counters don't take cards, or charge a credit card surcharge.
• A "slice" trip and a "whole pie, sit-down" trip are different outings — this guide covers both.
• Lines at the most popular Manhattan and Brooklyn slice shops can run 15-30 minutes on weekends; they move fast.
• Coal-oven pizzerias (Lombardi's, John's, Juliana's) serve whole pies only, no slices — plan to go with at least one other person.
• Outer-borough destinations (Di Fara, Denino's, Juliana's) are worth a dedicated trip, not a casual detour.
• Hours and even ownership can shift year to year at family-run shops — call ahead if you're making a special trip.

Manhattan classics

Lombardi's has operated near this corner of Little Italy since 1905, widely credited as the first licensed pizzeria in the country. The coal-oven char and simple margherita are the reason it's still a destination, not nostalgia alone.

John's has been turning out blistered, thin-crust coal-oven pies on Bleecker Street since 1929, and it still refuses to sell by the slice — order a whole pie and split it at one of the worn wooden booths.

Joe's has been the reference point for a plain New York slice since 1975 — thin, foldable, just enough grease, no fuss. Grab a slice and eat it standing on Carmine Street; that's the whole experience.

Massimo Laveglia's long-fermented dough has made L'Industrie one of the city's most consistently lined-up slice shops since 2017, and Time Out ranked it a close second on its 2025 best-pizza list behind Mama's Too 15. The burrata slice is the one most people wait for.

Prince Street's thick, square pepperoni slice — curled, crispy-edged cups of pepperoni and a honey-chili finish — has made the line outside a near-permanent fixture of the Nolita block it sits on.

Scarr Pimentel mills his own flour in the basement below the shop, and Scarr's has built a devoted following since opening in 2016 for a classic New York slice with an artisanal backbone — the Original and the spicy Hotboi are the two to try.

Rubirosa's vodka and "Tie Dye" pies run on a recipe the Pappalardo family has used since 1960, now served alongside a full Italian-American menu in a narrow, always-busy Nolita dining room. It's a different experience from a walk-up slice shop — a full sit-down meal built around a genuinely excellent thin crust.

Brooklyn

Di Fara has built a reputation over decades on the late Dom DeMarco's method of snipping fresh basil and drizzling olive oil over each pie by hand. It's a trip rather than a convenient stop — call or check social media for current hours before making the trek to Midwood.

L&B flips the usual order, ladling tomato sauce over the cheese on its thick Sicilian square — a Bensonhurst tradition since 1939. Order a slice of spumoni ice cream afterward; it's the other half of the restaurant's name for a reason.

Roberta's helped define Bushwick's dining scene from a converted garage space, and its wood-fired pies — the Bee Sting (soppressata, chili, honey) is the standard order — still draw a line even as the neighborhood around it has changed. It holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand designation.

Pizza maker Patsy Grimaldi returned to this spot under the Juliana's name (his mother's), and the coal-fired margherita — DOP San Marzano tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil — draws lines down Old Fulton Street for a reason. Cash and cards both accepted, which isn't a given at a coal-oven shop this old-school.

Queens

Family-run since 1959, Rizzo's makes a lighter, thinner version of the Sicilian square than most — a crisp base under bursts of fresh tomato sauce and a dusting of grated cheese rather than a thick, doughy crust.

Nick's has anchored this Forest Hills corner for decades with a reliable, well-charred coal-oven pie and a sit-down dining room that rarely requires the wait of its Manhattan counterparts.

The Bronx

The shop at this Arthur Avenue corner opened as Full Moon Pizza in 1976 and was rebranded to Mezza Luna Pizza in recent years under the same ownership lineage, still serving the same "no-flop" thin-crust slices locals rate above many better-known Manhattan names 12. Pair it with a walk through the neighborhood's Italian markets.

Staten Island

The Denino family's tavern has stood at this Port Richmond corner since 1937, but it was Carlo Denino's 1951 addition of pizza to the menu that made it famous 14. The "Garbage Pie" — sausage, mushroom, meatball, onion, pepperoni — is its best-known order, and it's a short bus ride from the Staten Island Ferry terminal, making it a realistic add-on to a ferry trip.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between a coal-oven and wood-fired pizzeria in NYC?

Coal-oven spots (Lombardi's, John's, Juliana's) run hotter and produce a drier, more blistered char; they're New York's oldest style. Wood-fired Neapolitan spots (Roberta's) tend toward a softer, more pliable crust.

Do I need a reservation for any of these?

Most are walk-in only. Sit-down spots like Rubirosa and Roberta's are worth a reservation on weekends; the classic Manhattan and Brooklyn coal-oven spots (Lombardi's, John's, Juliana's) don't take them at all.

Which pizzeria is best for a first visit to NYC pizza?

Joe's Pizza or Prince Street Pizza for a classic slice experience; Lombardi's, John's or Juliana's if you want the sit-down coal-oven version with a group.

Is Di Fara worth the trip to Midwood?

Many serious pizza eaters say yes, but hours can be limited and inconsistent — check current status before planning a special trip.

Are any of these good for a quick bite versus a sit-down meal?

Joe's, Prince Street, L'Industrie, Scarr's, Rizzo's and L&B are built for a quick slice standing up. Lombardi's, John's, Juliana's, Roberta's, Rubirosa, Nick's and Denino's are whole-pie, sit-down experiences.

Plan the rest of your trip

Round out a pizza crawl with a broader look at the city's food scene in the NYC Food Bucket List, or check Events and Weekend Guides for what else is worth building a day around.